The Effect of DBD Plasma Activation Time on the Dyeability of Woven Polyester Fabric with Disperse Dye

Abstract

This study consists of two parts. In the first, the woven polyester fabric, after washing to remove lubricant oils, was treated with the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma at the short plasma exposure time (from 15 to 90 s). The effect of the plasma exposure time on the activation of the polyester fabric was assessed by the wicking height of the samples. The results show that the wicking height in the warp direction of the plasma-treated samples improved but was virtually unchanged in the weft direction. Meanwhile, although the tensile strength in the warp direction of the fabric was virtually unaffected despite the plasma treatment time up to 90 s, in the weft direction it increased slightly with the plasma treatment time. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images and the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) spectra of the samples before and after the plasma treatment were used to explain the nature of these phenomena. Based on the results of the first part, in the second part, two levels of the plasma treatment time (30 and 60 s) were selected to study their effect on the polyester fabric dyeability with disperse dyes. The color strength (K/S) values of the dyed samples were used to evaluate the dyeability of the fabric. The SEM images of the dyed samples also showed the difference in the dyeability between the plasma-treated and untreated samples. A new feature of this study is the DBD plasma treatment condition for polyester fabrics. The first is the use of DBD plasma in air (no addition of gas). Second is the very short plasma treatment time (only 15 to 90 s); this condition will be very favorable for the deployment on an industrial scale.

Surface Modification by the DBD Plasma to Improve the Flame-Retardant Treatment for Dyed Polyester Fabric

“…This phenomenon has also been observed for polyester fabric after low pressure plasma treatment using a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen and argon [ 26 ] and after DBD treatment [ 23 , 25 ]. These phenomena have been explained by the appearance of new polar functional groups containing oxygen under the influence of the plasma environment, as confirmed by XPS analysis of the plasma treated PET samples [ 23 , 25 , 26 , 27 ].…”

“…This phenomenon has also been observed for polyester fabric after low pressure plasma treatment using a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen and argon [ 26 ] and after DBD treatment [ 23 , 25 ]. These phenomena have been explained by the appearance of new polar functional groups containing oxygen under the influence of the plasma environment, as confirmed by XPS analysis of the plasma treated PET samples [ 23 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. Work [ 23 ] also suggested that the surface roughness and especially the appearance of grooves on the fiber surface due to plasma action could partly explain the increase in the wicking height of the PET fabric.…”

“…This trend was also observed in publication [ 25 ], the tensile strength of polyester fabrics made from filaments was slightly reduced by plasma treatment, while under the same effect, polyester fabrics made from spun yarns increased slightly. The reason for the increase in tensile strength of polyester fabrics made from spun yarn is explained in publications [ 23 , 25 ]. As for polyester fabrics made from filaments, a long DBD plasma treatment generates deep cracks on the PET fiber surfaces leading to reduced tensile strength of the fibers [ 25 ].…”

“…In this study, DE CIELab and DE CMC were calculated based on the color parameters of the samples by the software of Ci4200 spectrophotometer. The color strength (K/S values) of the samples from 400 to 700 nm were also established according to the Kubelka–Munk Equation [ 23 ] from the measured reflectance values (R). K/S value plots from 400 to 700 nm of the samples are also used to evaluate the effect of plasma treatment on the color of dyed PET fabrics.…”

“…K/S value plots from 400 to 700 nm of the samples are also used to evaluate the effect of plasma treatment on the color of dyed PET fabrics. The color intensities of the samples were determined at the wavelength corresponding to the maximum absorbance (K/Smax) [ 23 , 24 ].…”